Brazilian state elections see strategic candidate moves in Paraíba and Rio

In Paraíba, political parties continue to base campaign strategies on a three‑region electoral map: the capital area of João Pessoa, Campina Grande and the Agreste, and the Sertão. Incumbent governor Lucas Ribeiro is intensifying outreach in the capital while maintaining his Sertão base, and former mayor Cícero Lucena is focusing on Campina Grande and the Cariri area to improve his standing.

In Rio de Janeiro, former mayor Eduardo Paes, the PSD candidate for governor, has selected lawyer and professor Jane Reis as his running mate. Reis, a prominent political organizer from Duque de Caxias and member of a well‑connected family, is expected to broaden the ticket’s appeal in the Baixada Fluminense and among evangelical voters, despite being under investigation in a federal money‑laundering probe.